


Burning Love (Zuko x Reader)

by misho



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Complete, F/M, Kissing, Neck Kissing, Zuko Angst, also you're a sick ass thief, sin eventually, zuko is such a sweetie pie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-03 10:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14567106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misho/pseuds/misho
Summary: You're a female thief, enemy of the Fire Nation, and partially on friendly terms with the Earth Kingdom. Well, that is, until you teamed up with the former Prince Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai. After seeing that he had split up from his uncle, you decided to join him on his journey to Ba Sing Se, and a little romance forms during the trip.





	1. Hide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fanfiction takes place in season 2 of Avatar The Last Airbender, when Zuko separates from Iroh and is on his own for a little bit. Basically, he meets up with you, a female non-bending thief, and agrees to travel with you.
> 
> The events in this novel will most likely not correlate correctly to the timeline in ATLA, but I will try my best to make it as close to the show as possible. Thank you for reading, and if I have time after finishing this fanfic, I'll do a Sokka x Reader! (Since Sokka and Zuko are both my big faves!)

"Zuko, can you at least calm down?" You spoke, in a semi-harsh tone. With Zuko, you had to sort of speak up instead of back down, or you'd never be heard. Zuko walked around camp, his temper flaring up, quite literally. He paced around in a wide circle on the Earth Kingdom's grass, the trees waving in the wind.

The two of you were in, well, the Earth Kingdom. It was sort of a desultory journey, without a destination; aimless. You suppose you were headed for Ba Sing Se, but being in such a large city with two wanted criminals was _probably_ not the best plan.

"You're going to burn a hole into your trousers if you don't stop pacing!" You yowled, upset. His sharp golden eyes pierced your gaze as they met your eyes, but suddenly softened. His balled-up fists loosened and he let out a sigh, a flicker of flame emitting from his lips.

"How can you be so composed in a situation like this?!" He said in his usual acute tone, but you were so used to it that it was a second-nature sort of thing to you.

"So what? Our map was lost in the river when we ran into soldiers, remember?" You sighed. You recalled your previous adventure with Zuko, and how the two of you defeated a large group of Fire Nation soldiers on the bank of a river. It just so happened that you dropped the map into the river, and it was swept away by the current before the two of you noticed later in the day.

"And now we're lost!" He shouted, flaring up again. His palms grew red and so did the tips of his ears, but you knew which body part was the one to be the most wary of, and which would shoot fireballs at you in any given moment.

But, you knew Zuko. You had for a solid month, when you first ran into him. You recognized him, and he attempted to escape, but you asked if you could join his journey. He immediately disagreed, eluding you, but not for long. After bothering him for quite some time, he finally gave up and agreed to have you join him. You then explained to him why the two of you should stick together, which convinced him. Besides, he was a lonely teenage boy out in the woods. He would need a companion sometime soon, right?

It must've confused him, at first, why you insisted on befriending him, even when you knew his true identity. It turns out, you could relate to him so closely, especially the 'outcast' part. You smiled to yourself as you watched him angrily pace around again, looking down at your hands. If anything, it was your mother who taught you to love everyone, and give everyone a chance before you decide if you want to be around them or not. So, you followed her advice, and it got you to the happiest place you've ever been in. With Zuko.

God, that sounded corny. You shook the thoughts from your mind, sighing softly to yourself.

"Look, let's just follow the river, and I'm sure we'll find a town soon." You said, and he tensed up. Well, it was at least good that he stopped walking around, but when he looked at you, you felt your chest tighten. You quickly stood up, looking at the camp fire to your side that was dwindling slowly.

You smelled smoke, and normally it wouldn't be unusual, but it was different. The fire you ignited last night was with hickory wood, which smelled sweet, sort of like ham. But, this smoke that wafted in the air, was burning, and made your throat itch. You frowned, whirling around, and seeing a thin column of smoke rising above the treetops.

"Shit," you cursed, stomping on the hickory fire and causing it to die out. You looked to Zuko, picking some of your bags up and holding on tightly to them, strapping them to your back. "Fire Nation soldiers, again. Zuko, hold onto my hand."

"What? Where are we going?"

"Up." You said, taking his arm. He gripped you so tightly that you felt your hand turn numb, but you hauled him upwards into a tree.

"I can't climb a tree!"

"Today's the day you learn." You said gently, handing his bags to him. He quickly put them around his torso, and you eagerly aided him climbing up the branches, determining quickly which ones are suitable for the weight of two humans. Zuko was hesitant, but as you looked back down at the campsite, all you saw was the fire pit and your food supplies.

You turned to Zuko, who clung onto the branches for dear life, and you saw him leaning over like he was going to fall. You felt cold sweat run down the side of your head, but you looked back down through the branches and leaves and heard rumbling in the distance.

"Look, Lieutenant, a fire, and food supplies." One male voice rang in the air, and you bit your tongue to keep yourself from making any noises.

"Yes, and the fire was recent. Looks like someone heard us coming and quickly ran off." The so-called Lieutenant said, leaning down and examining the fire, then walking to the food.

"Do you think it was Zuko and the thief?" Another voice asked.

"Possibly. Could've been the Avatar, though. You never know in these woods." The Lieutenant replied, picking up the food. "Whoever it was is gone now, might as well take their food."

Zuko clenched his fist visibly, and you watched him with narrowed eyes, non-verbally telling him off. But, a glint in the sunlight caught your eye. You watched as his dual blades began to slide out of their sheath slowly, but surely. One of them stopped sliding, but the other didn't threaten to halt. You knew it was because Zuko was angled awkwardly, leaning over, but he didn't even notice his blade.

You tried to wave to him, but his eyes were trained on the soldiers. Then, his blade finally fell out of the sheath completely. You gasped, suddenly loosing your grip on the tree branch and falling. You quickly dove, stretching out your arm, and grabbing the handle of the blade. Suddenly, you jerked upward, feeling your other arm get pulled rather uncomfortably. You glanced upward, seeing Zuko, wide-eyed, gripping onto your hand. He pulled you up, wrapping his hand around your waist as he held onto the branch. You flushed and quickly sheathed the blade back.

You waited until the soldiers slowly left the campsite, but until then, you felt Zuko's breath on your ear, and his heart was slow and steady. You weren't sure if he felt yours, but yours was racing, hammering against your chest. When everyone had left, Zuko let go of you and allowed you to drop down onto the ground. He fell by your side, his fists tightened again.

"You could've gotten caught." Zuko said sternly, glaring at you.

"Yes, but if I just let your sword to fall, we both would've gotten caught. The Fire Nation wants me dead and you alive, I wouldn't allow that to happen."

"It was a stupid maneuver."

"But it worked, didn't it, Prince Zuko?" You teased, sticking out your tongue at him. He frowned at you and flicked his fingers, a little burst of fire spouting at your face. You leapt backwards, nearly tumbling and falling. You felt your stubborn anger bubble up inside of you.

"What was that for?!" You said, raising your shoulders and stiffening your arms by your side.

"I've told you not to call me that." Zuko said, looking at the camp. "Great, now all of our food is gone, too."

"Y'know, sometimes, I'd rather starve than be with you. It's like you're on your man period all the time." You bickered, crossing your arms. Zuko rolled his eyes, walking away from you. You quickly followed in his tracks, walking closely behind him.

"I thought you said you don't want to be with me." Zuko spoke without looking behind himself.

"W-Well, you're good company. So, you know." You said, not finishing your sentence. Suddenly, you felt a searing pain on your arm. You frowned and looked at it, seeing that something had ripped through your clothes and deeply scratched your arm.

"Dammit," you sighed, sucking in air between your teeth. Zuko looked at you, pausing, and then to your arm.

"Are you alright?" He asked, taking your wrist and turning your arm awkwardly.

"I'm fine."

"Obviously not. I can't heal you, and we don't have medicine, but we can get some."

"Look, it was probably just a tree branch, when I fell. It's nothing I won't get over."

"Don't be stupid." Zuko said dangerously low, leaning in closely to your face. "It could get infected, we'll find that town. Besides, we need food and a new map."

And just like that, he turned back away from you and began walking into the woods again. You frowned, following, and you knew that your heart was racing for a reason. Some reason, right? Surely... it couldn't be... love?


	2. Rest

It took nearly two full days to get to the next town on foot. It was a rather large town, but the two of you managed to get in. You pulled your hood up over your head, and he had his rather adorable straw hat on. You were a thief, so of course you had gold pieces, but mostly silver and copper. You rummaged through your small drawstring bag, pulling out a couple silver pieces to buy fruit, and Zuko went off to buy a map.

"Thank you, come again!" Said the farmer as he waved to you. You smiled, waving back, holding a basket of fruit in your arms. You swallowed heavily, feeling nervous in such a populated area. You walked away from the food stall, your feet dragging as you watched the residents of the town mill around. Children passed by, laughing, and swinging wooden swords and dolls around. Adults laughed, some linked arm-in-arm with others, some talking mostly with their body language. You felt awfully reminiscent and you approached a fountain, sinking down on the ledge, and watching the sun sink below the tree line.

You were reminded of your childhood, of when you grew up in your simple little town. Memories flashed behind your eyes, and you felt a pang of guilt and pain stab your chest. Your arm began to burn again, and you sighed. You should really get to a doctor, but Zuko told you to meet him back at the fountain and the sun was going down even lower and lower-

"Hey."

You perked up, looking around the area, and seeing Zuko with his hat down around his collar. He was smiling, walking up to you, and offered a hand.

"Got the map, but I decided we should rest first, so I found us a place."

"Where?"

"It's an inn, but it's also a bath house, with natural hot springs right outside."

"Wow, really? That sounds wonderful!" You grinned, and you even caught his smile widen as yours did. Standing up, you took the food, and followed him as he weaved in and out of the people. He led you to a large building, and entered. He walked up the stairs, already having paid for the room, and opened the door to the room. It was comfortable, with a nice plush bed, and- only one bed.

Plot devices, am I right?

"Uhm, Zuko..." You said gently, but he shut the door behind himself as he walked in. You trailed away as it seemed he didn't notice you speaking, so you shut your mouth completely. He set his things down in the room, and so did you.

"Well," you said finally, "I think I'll take advantage of those springs."

"With that nasty cut on your arm?" Zuko said, "Let me bandage you up first."

"I think I can very well do it myself."

"I bought you medicine, here, sit down." Zuko said coolly, patting the bed next to him. It was as if he didn't hear you speak at all! You slowly sunk down beside him, pulling up your sleeve. He took a small jar, smearing the contents on your cut. It felt cold, and stung just a little, but after he was finished, he wrapped your forearm in bandages and sat back.

"Thank you..." You looked down, holding your arm. Standing up, you slowly walked towards the door. Opening it, you quickly walked down the stairs and towards the hot springs. They were usually very private areas, you could get a mixed one, or a private one. Well, with Zuko behind you, the lady behind the counter grinned knowingly.

"I suppose you and your boyfriend would like a mixed bath-"

"He's not my boyfriend!" You quickly said, gripping the counter tightly.

"Oh, my bad. Private baths, it is."

She handed the two of you private bath keys, and you took yours quickly to a separate area, where you were all alone in the room. You sighed, taking off your clothes, and quickly got into the bath. You made sure to keep your bandaged arm out of the water, but it was so cold outside of the water. Sighing, you felt your muscles relax and your thoughts unwind as you sunk into the hot water. But, something felt missing. You felt alone, too alone. Your thoughts began to get the best of you, and you jerked back into reality as somewhat of a daydream frightened you.

Images of your parents, the Fire Nation, all of it- it just startled you. You stared at the white water, completely opaque. Sighing, you got out of the water and wrapped a towel around your body, sneaking out of the room you were in and slowly walking down the hall. You remembered what room number Zuko received, so you slowly knocked on the door and turned the knob. Stupid boy didn't lock the room. You poked your head in, and he seemed entirely relaxed until he noticed you were at the door.

"W-What are you doing here?!" He semi-shouted, the water around him beginning to bubble up as his cheeks went red. You swiftly shut the door behind yourself, and you twirled your hair around your index finger.

"Well, uh, I was... worried."

"Worried? About what?"

"I just didn't want to be alone!"

"You could've told me that you wanted a mixed bath." He mumbled under his breath, but you could clearly hear him.

"N-No!"

"Then, what are you doing here, Y/N?" He said, glaring back at you. Although you were supposed to be used to seeing his hard stare, it sort of hurt to watch him look at you in such a menacing way.

"I just... I was scared. Being alone. I can't do it!"

"What's wrong?" Zuko rose his eyebrow at you, and you sat on the floor, defeated.

"I was seven, and-"

"We paid for this expensive ass inn, I'm not about to have you waste it as you tell a story. Get in the damn bath." Zuko said, agitated, but you felt a spark inside your chest. You nodded quickly, standing up. You were hesitant, but you shed your towel to the floor. Zuko didn't notice, and when he looked at you, his eyes went wide and he quickly shut them, squeezing so tightly that he was frowning. You slowly entered the bath, feeling the hot water envelop you.

"I'm decent." You said softly, and he opened his eyes slowly. "Anyway, I was... seven years old."

"Yeah?" Zuko said, averting his eyes from your face.

"Well, I lived in a small village for the first seven years of my life. Then, the Fire Nation began attacking and taking over my village. They were taking all of the earthbenders, and that included my parents."

"But, not you, huh?" He added in, and you shook your head.

"Since I couldn't bend, they didn't take me. They left me behind, when I was seven. And, nobody cared enough to take me in! I turned to being a thief to provide for myself, and myself only. And, I've never seen or heard of my parents since."

"I'm sorry... I-I didn't know..."

"Zuko, it's not your fault. I would never blame you for your father's actions, or what your nation has done. You've changed, and I realized that the first moment I saw you."

Zuko smiled slightly at you, and you smiled back.

"I've had so many... memories of my parents being taken from me. How they burned everything I had to the ground." You said solemly, looking down at the water again. It was different this time, you felt another person with you. You no longer felt so alone. "But, when I met you, and you agreed to let me travel with you... I was so happy. Because, ever since then, I was alone."

"You never had anyone?"

"No."

Another silence reigned over the two of you. He sighed, looking at you.

"Sometimes, I wish... I wish that I was a bender, so that they would've taken me with my parents. But, then, I would've never gotten to meet you." You said, smiling up at him again. He blinked, blushing, and tried to shrug it off.

"I feel the same way. Nobody wants or cares about me, and I regret splitting up with my uncle. He was the one good thing I had in my life. But, I'm also glad to have met you."

"You mean it?" You asked, pulling your knees up to your chest.

"I do."

You smiled to yourself partially, but Zuko's eyes caught that pretty smile of yours, and he just couldn't help but return the same expression, feeling butterflies in his stomach, the same way as you.

It was quiet for quite some time, but it was a tranquil sort of quiet, where the two of you were content with being in the silence. And after awhile, he mentioned something about going back to the room for some rest. You agreed, so the two of you got out, got dried and dressed, and took your belongings back up to the room.

"Well, sleep well." Zuko said, sitting on the floor and yawning. You frowned, peering over at him from on top of the bed.

"What in the world are you doing? Get up here, you bum." You said with a playful tone.

"You don't mind?"

"You think I'm going to tell you off for sleeping in the same bed as me?"

"You have a point." He shrugged, standing up and quickly sneaking under the blankets and shutting his eyes the moment that his head hit the pillow. You rolled your eyes and laid back down, turning your back towards him. You weren't sure what time you fell asleep, but you woke up again feeling cold. Particularly cold, like you couldn't get rid of. You frowned, looking around the room, but couldn't see hardly anything in such darkness. So, you scooted over in the bed, but was still greeted by nothing. So, you scooted over once more, then feeling a warm body against yours. Zuko, being a firebender and all, was extremely warm at all times. You don't believe he noticed, though.

So, you drew closer to his body, nestling up. Suddenly, you felt his arm wrap around your body, rendering it unable to move much. You wriggled, and felt his hot breath against your ear again.

"What're you doing?" He asked lowly, probably startled awake by all the movement you've been causing.

"I'm cold." You said, frowning.

"Yeah, sure."

"It's true, you idiot!" You said loudly, and he chuckled in your ear. He pulled you closer, sighing, and shut his eyes. He didn't respond at all, just fell silent. You assumed he went back to sleep, but you still couldn't escape his grip. Well, at least you were warm. You sighed, rolled over to face him, and buried your face in his broad chest, drinking in his sweet scent before falling back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ksjskjs SUCH A FLUFFY CHAPTER OH MY GOODNESS (also full of plot devices, i'm evil.)


	3. Origin

"Come on, Y/N. Wake up." Spoke a voice, and you felt a warm hand against your shoulder. You frowned, opening your eyes slowly, but still feeling as tired as ever. "We have to keep walking."

"Uhgnn," you groaned, tightening your eyes and pulling your pillow closer to your face. "Please, just... a little while longer?"

You could tell that with the silence, Zuko wasn't very happy. He obviously wanted to leave the town as quickly as possible, since the longer the two of you stayed, the easier it would be to get tracked down. But, Zuko let out a deep sigh and glanced at your injured arm. He told himself that it was good for you to rest, and he calmed down.

"Alright, but just for a little while. I'll wake you up in a bit." Zuko said, his eyes soft as he watched you sink further into your pillows.

"Thank you... Zuzu..." You mumbled, your voice muffled by the soft blankets and pillows, and you fell back to sleep with ease. Zuko's entire body stiffened and he stared straight at you, his heart hammering in his chest. He clutched his shirt, feeling a bit uneasy, but looked back at you. He extended a hand, gently reaching to pet your hair. It was a soft, and he loved the natural texture of it in his fingers. He ran his fingers through your hair, allowing it to fall gracefully back down. He looked at his hand, then quickly got up and left the room, trying to cool down.

It was only a couple hours before you woke up again, this time, Zuko was shaking you gently and calling your name. You yawned and sat up, and Zuko looked bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to go. You ran your hands through your hair, smiling weakly at him.

"Hey." You mumbled, and Zuko smiled.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. We need to hit the road, now."

"Sleeping beauty?" You mused to yourself. Zuko shrugged and you thought you caught him blushing, looking away from you suddenly. You climbed out of bed, stretching, and changing your clothes. Zuko had to hide his face from you, but you didn't mind that much. After changing, you took your things. "It must be nice to be considered the most beautiful woman-"

"That's not what I meant." Zuko mumbled, and you grinned, teasing him obviously.

"Awh, I'm not gorgeous?"

"T-That's not what I meant, either!" He stammered, looking flustered as the two of you left the town, walking back into the woods, under the trees.

"Then, what did you mean, Zuko?" You said in a soft, anticipating tone, sidling up close to him. He shifted away from you, looking defiantly adorable with red cheeks.

"I just said it because you... you slept a lot."

"Ooh, I see. So, I'm just the sloth of the Sleeping Beauty story."

"N-No!"

"It's literally what you just said, silly. Make up your mind." You laughed, walking up ahead of him. You knew you had stumped him, which was your hobby. Throughout the day, the two of you exchanged minimal conversations, but it didn't bother you much. As long as you were by his side, you were okay. Stopping for the night was long-awaited, but you didn't enjoy it as much as sleeping in that comfortable bed from the night before. You agreed to stay awake, and he didn't hesitate to fall asleep next to a flickering campfire. You sighed, leaning back, and watching it.

You recalled when you first met Zuko.

\---

"Woah, you're Prince Zuko, aren't you?" You said, emerging from the trees. He jerked back, facing you with wide eyes. You rose up both of your hands in a signal you weren't going to attack him. "Calm down, I won't hurt you!"

"Sure you won't." He said coldly, despite his hot-blooded nature. He drew his broadswords, swinging them in your direction. You had to move to the side to dodge his attacks, but it was nothing important or drastic to you, since you had learned to think quickly and lightly on your feet ever since you were a child. He wheeled around, facing you, his swords raised.

"Really, your highness, I won't hurt you! I just-"

"Who else did you bring with you?" Zuko said lowly, ready to strike at you.

"Nobody, really. I'm not going to turn you in, either. I promise." You replied, holding out your pinky. He glared downwards at it.

"Admittedly, I saw you earlier, and had to confirm it was really you. Son of Fire Lord Ozai."

"Don't say that." He growled, and you knew you hit a touchy subject.

"Sorry, my apologies. I'm Y/N, it's nice to meet you."

"Leave me alone." He hissed, turning away and storming away. You rose an eyebrow and followed in pursuit, not in a rush at all. You could tell he was getting easily irritated, telling by his tense shoulders. In a sudden whirlwind, he turned on his heel and let out a shout of anger as he swung his broadswords at you, flames licking from the ends of his blades. You leapt backwards, smiling to yourself.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because, I can't give you the expression that you want, you know? Gotta keep you on your toes somehow." You giggled, and it was interrupted by a fireball heading straight at your face. You ducked down, holding your hair, and hopped back up to continue dodging his attacks. He got frustrated, panting, but you were completely content, you could do this all day. Zuko let out an angry shout before sheathing his weapons, running off into the woods. You couldn't catch up, knowing he might need his space. But, you weren't giving up just yet.

You pressed on through the woods, catching sight of Zuko entering a small abandoned hut. You sighed and sunk down slowly, your back against a tree. You watched from the shadows of the underbrush, knowing Zuko wouldn't be able to see you when the moon rose. So, you waited, and you waited. You watched the door intently, your eyes wavering and your vision blurring time to time. But, you forced yourself to stay awake, to make sure he wouldn't sneak out under your guard. Wait, it wasn't really a guard. You just wanted a friend, and the Fire Lord's outcast son would be a wonderful partner in crime to have. You could imagine it now: stealing gems and gold pieces and getting a mansion in the mountain range of the Earth Kingdom. Grinning to yourself, you knew it was unreasonable and highly unlikely, but you also knew that you could dream as far and wide as you possibly wanted to.

Sunlight struck your face and you winced, recoiling and slowly opening your eyes to see that the sun was rising. You panicked, you must've fallen asleep. Quickly getting up and dusting off your clothes, you were about to check the hut when Zuko walked out, yawning and stretching, running a hand through his short hair. You sighed, but he must've spotted you. His peaceful face suddenly turned hostile, wrinkling up in anger. He drew his swords, pointing them both at you. You rose your hands up.

"Zuko, listen, I just want to travel with you. We're not that different, you and me. I'm a thief, and you could join me!"

Without processing what you had said, he stepped towards you and waved his swords threateningly, and you were too tired to process something so quick. Fire lashed out at you and you felt it singe your arm as you lifted it up to protect your face. You stumbled back, immediate tears pricking your eyes. You let out a shrill scream of pain, hot tears soaking your cheeks.

"It hurts! I-I need water!" You panicked, choking on your own words. Zuko's demeanor changed suddenly, and he stared down at you, his swords hanging limply in his hands by his side. He was frozen, and you listened as your mind shrieked in agony, the burns on your arm red and turning yellow- bubbling and feeling like the worst thing you could ever experience.

You knew he wasn't going to do anything, most likely leave you there, so you looked up at him with blurry tear-filled eyes. "I just wanted someone to talk to... that's all. I'm sorry that I inconvenienced you. I'll go now."

You stood up shakily to your feet, but they could hardly stand on themselves. Your entire body was preoccupied with trying to deal with your arm, so you couldn't tell what was going on with your body movements. You swayed side to side, and you felt a rush of wind. Oh, you were falling. You shut your eyes tightly, and felt your body land on something plush and comfortable, and not to mention, incredibly warm. You slowly opened them, looking up at Zuko, who seemed agitated, but concerned.

"I'm sorry, I-I... I didn't mean to..."

"Clearly you did," you laughed bitterly, not blaming him. "but that's alright. You had no idea what the result would be, that's all."

"Here, I have a little bit of medicine, but it's not a lot." Zuko said, holding a small bag. He was ready to apply it to your burn, but you sucked in air through your teeth and drew away from him.

"Don't waste it on me."

"It's not a waste." He frowned.

"You don't care about me, and if you did, this wouldn't have happened. Save the medicine for yourself."

"Shut up." He barked, slathering the cold medicine on your arm. You winced in pain, curling your toes in your shoes. You had to bite down on your tongue to keep yourself from yelling out, since the cold sensation burned so badly.

"Let's get you up." Zuko said softly, his face now peaceful. He quickly swooped you up in his arms, showing no visible weakness as he strode confidently back into the hut, laying you down on a mattress. You watched him with narrow eyes, not sure why he was doing this.

"You're wasting your time, prince."

"No." He said lightly, keeping his voice low in the small space. You watched him as he rummaged through his bags, sighing in defeat. He must've not had any bandages, but it didn't bother you.

"Why do you say that? You've been trying to warn me off, and now you're all suddenly... gooey."

"I am not!" He said, raising his voice sharply, but you didn't waver. He sighed, and you could almost see hot smoke trickle upwards out of his nostrils. "I didn't mean to hurt you that badly. Especially when you just needed someone to talk to."

"You're so... considerate. How do people not like you?" You smiled, leaning over and looking at his scarred eye. The golden orb looked at you and you just grinned wider, to which he had to turn his head away at.

"It's because of my family."

"They pin all that anger from your family, on you? What a shame. People don't like me either, so, you're not alone." You laughed, happy to just have someone to talk to. Zuko was about to get defensive again, but he calmed down quickly and just returned a small smile to you. The two of you talked for hours while your injury healed, and eventually began to travel together. You didn't realize it at the time, but such a wonderful thing happened back then. You fell for him.


	4. Confession

"Look, it's the city!" You cheered, on the path to Ba Sing Se. You pointed in the distance, seeing the tall walls and the city above the tops of the walls. You took Zuko's hand, tugging him along. It had only been a week or so since you guys last stopped at a town, which was the one with the inn that the two of you stayed at. Your relationship with Zuko hadn't changed in the least bit, but you weren't bothered by that.

"Are you sure we should be going this way? They're going to recognize both of us."

"We're about to take a detour." You grin, winking at him. He blinked, and you pulled him away off the path. You walked around the city's walls, hiding beneath the trees in their shade to conceal the two of you from guards up on the walls.

"You're not about to _climb_ that, are you?"

"No, you dumbass." You mused, and he flushed red in embarrassment. You ruffled his hair, which was long, considering it was half-way down his forehead and he used to be, like, bald. "There's an underground passageway, it's pretty old, but it's how I get in and out of the city easily."

"They haven't discovered it?"

"Lots of fugitives, gypsies, merchant, blah blah, use it. It's popular, but the people on the surface don't know about it."

"Surface?" Zuko asked as you approached the entrance, which was disguised as a large patch of flowers on the grass.

"Ba Sing Se civilians, guards, basically everyone in higher social classes." You said, slowly going down the ladder. Zuko followed close behind, shutting the trap door before descending with you. It took a little while to continue traveling, but the entire passageway was milling with people, sick, old, young, so on and so forth. You were granted entrance into the city walls, and you took Zuko straight out into a dark, damp alley. Then, you led the way out of it, still holding his hand.

"This is... amazing." Zuko gasped in awe and you smiled to him warmly.

"But, first, Zuko," you warned, raising a finger to him. He stopped in his tracks, raising an eyebrow. "we need disguises."

"What?" He asked in confusion, and you led him into a nearby tailor shop. You had him try on different clothes, robes, in all sorts of green hues. The women in the shop enjoyed dressing the two of you up like dolls, and quite literally. They gave you makeup, showing you how to apply it, and where to do it. You followed their instructions, and they also pulled a thin dress that had beautiful ruffles and cloud-like swirls on the design. You loved it.

You walked out of the dressing room, completely satisfied with your new look, and Zuko was struggling to keep up with the giggling women. They kept playing with his hair, which he insisted stay untouched, and they kept trying to tie him up in robes like a pet monkey.

"How's this?" Zuko asked, flustered, and you had to keep yourself from freaking out. How was he so cute, when he kept pulling at the tight neck of his robe, and how he kept dusting off the trousers. You sat up and nodded eagerly.

"It looks great! We'll take it, thank you ladies for all your help." You said happily, giving them the needed gold pieces. They graciously took them and the two of you went on your merry way. You looked to Zuko in the corner of your eye, and you noticed him staring at you.

"What?" You asked with a small smile.

"You're wearing makeup."

"Yeah?"

"It's just unusual." He breathed softly, and you laughed, punching him in the arm softly.

"We could put some on you!"

"No." He suddenly said, very stern. You giggled, wrapping both of your arms around his, as the two of you walked over a bridge. He jerked, looking down at you with big wide gold eyes.

"What are you doing, Y/N?" He asked in a hushed tone.

"We look less suspicious if we pretend we're a couple." You said, acting thoughtfully. In truth, you just wanted to be closer to him. He stayed all tensed up for quite some time as the two of you strolled around, looking at all of the people. Some people stared at Zuko's scar, some of them aw'd at you and him, and you felt a little heat blossom in your chest. It felt so good to act like you were with Zuko, it felt natural. It felt right.

"How long do you want to stay here?"

"However long you want." You shrugged. "We're not exactly welcome in many other places, you know. Let's get a room at an inn, okay?"

He didn't seem to be against the idea, so you approached one. Entering, you were about to pay for a room with two beds, but Zuko stopped you. He looked down at you, turning you to speak privately, away from the woman at the front counter.

"Didn't you say we look less suspicious as a couple?"

"W-well, yes, but... we're just sleeping."

"I say we get a double bed. If we act like a couple in public, we might as well do it in private, too."

You gulped, nodding. He turned to the woman, paying for a double bed instead. As the two of you headed to your room, you set your things down on the floor and got comfortable. You could feel your heart racing in your chest, and you even felt sweaty in such a cool, aired-out room. Zuko turned to you, raising his eyebrow at you.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing!" You laughed it off, standing up and stretching nonchalantly. As you did this, your sleeves rolled down and exposed your arms. Zuko caught a glimpse of the burn scar he gave to you, a pinkish color and definitely not pretty. He looked down, feeling guilt sink in yet again. You blinked, looking over at him, but he quickly walked up to you, grabbing your wrist. He nearly brought you down to the floor, but you held your weight against his as he pushed your sleeve back, taking a cotton swab dampened with water and brushing it lightly over the scar.

"You need to take care of it."

"It's a scar."

"Believe me, Y/N, I know how to take care of this stuff. Besides, you still have a couple spots prone to bleeding." He said, turning your arm and examining it. You swallowed heavily, clenching your fist. He must've noticed, since his eyes met yours again. Your heart hit against your chest rapidly, beating and making it almost hurt.

"Are you alright?" He asked, a bit concerned. "I didn't hurt you again, did I?"

"No!" You said, shaking your head quickly. He let go of you, letting your arm swing down by your side. You rubbed your other arm with your hand, walking away quickly from him. 

"You're lying." He confronted. You sighed audibly, being slightly dramatic, and pulled the door open before you began walking out, leaving him behind in he room by himself. You just needed room, space from him, or he'd cause your beating heart to quicken, and you couldn't risk having cardiac arrest, in all honesty.

You stood outside, basking in the joy of the city, and you had to drive away a couple of guys who kept asking you if you wanted to go somewhere. But, one in particular, would not let up. He had dark hair and eyes that shaded his eyes, and you kept recoiling backwards to try and escape from him.

"Really, just you and me."

"Please leave me be, I'm in no mood to be courted right now." You said softly, and he just sat down next to you, smiling obnoxiously. You sighed, turning your back to him. He gently touched your shoulder, and you were about to push him off until he was suddenly lifted up by someone else. You glanced behind yourself, seeing Zuko hold up the young boy by his collar, staring threateningly at him.

"Leave her alone."

"Eugh!" The kid remarked in disgust, getting dropped down and running off to go cause trouble elsewhere. Zuko sighed, looking at you. You frowned and didn't meet his eyes, quickly averting them downwards to the cobblestone.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Please talk to me." He pleaded, sitting next to you. "I feel like you're shutting me out. I can't handle something like that. If something is wrong, talk to me! Do you not like me? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, none of that!" You semi-shouted, jumping to look at him. The two of you were sitting on a bench near a fountain, and the city was growing quieter as the sun went behind some clouds, low in the sky.

"Then, what?!" Zuko shouted back, drawing the attention of near passersby. You took his hands to calm him down, your cold ones unmatched for his warm ones.

"Please, calm down, Zuko."

"I will once you tell me what _I did wrong._ "

"You didn't do anything. It's me, I just... something's wrong with me." You stammered, unprepared for Zuko's outbursts, although you should've been. You stood up quickly, taking his hand and dragging him behind you, back to the inn. He kept stumbling behind you, protesting loudly, but you ignored him until the two of you got behind shut doors. You let go of him, exhaling loudly.

"What is it?!" He yelled at you, and you saw a burst of light from his palms.

"Can you calm down? I took you back here because you were causing a scene, you big idiot!"

His entire face went red with anger, and you knew you hit a fuse. You were definitely not telling him something, and it upset him even further than you've seen so far. When it came to you, he was either happy or completely furious, and there was no in between. You took both of his hands that were piping hot, your hands burning up quickly.

"Zuko, calm down, let me speak."

"Then, tell me what it is! Stop shutting me out!" He flared up again, and his hands grew incredibly hot.

"Ow, ow!" You cried, pulling your hands away and holding them. Suddenly, his composure shifted and he quickly wrapped an arm around you, taking your hands and looking closely at them. His breath had cooled down, gentle against your ear, but his entire torso pressed against your back and your heart beat slowed down.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you- I just... I was just upset." Zuko said, his voice suddenly soft and more child-like. You looked at his expression, and it was just pure concern for your safety. He looked at your hands, which were fine, but a little red with heat, and he sighed in relief.

"I'm fine." You said, but his arms didn't budge, wrapped tightly around you. You slowly turned in his grip, so close to his face, your heart almost stopped. His arms were about to move back to his side, but you held him in place, and his eyes widened in shock.

"I just need to get this off my chest." You spoke, mostly to yourself, but Zuko stared at you as you did. "I like you, a lot more than a friend."

"Y-You..." he stammered, at a loss for words.

"God, I knew it was a bad idea. Forget I said anything, please." You sighed, pushing him off of you before you turned away from him, crossing your arms. Zuko suddenly took your wrist, pulling you back into his arms, hugging you.

"What are you doing?"

"I like you too." He replied. "But, I-I don't think you should be with someone like me. You're so good, and wonderful, and I'm just all messed up."

He leaned back, looking to the side. You frowned, clenching your hands into fists. What was he talking about?

"Why do you think you're some kind of monster, almost all the time? I know, you have a past, but you shouldn't put all of that responsibility on your shoulders. And I'm not going to leave your side just because things are getting tough- I want a future with you, Zuko!" You spoke confidently, and he looked rather undeniably happy at first, but then he turned sorrowful again.

"Over time, when my bad things begin to build up, you'll want to leave me too, and then you'll find the person you were really supposed to be happy with."

You stood there, getting upset. Why was he being so persistent on bringing himself down? It made absolutely no sense at all. Did he like you back, or was he just trying to clear the air?

"Fine, do you just want me to leave you now?"

Zuko didn't respond. You felt your chest ache and your throat tighten. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be, you tried to convince yourself. Maybe if you came off as more flirtatious, or if you tried to at least communicate your feelings beforehand.

"I'll pack." You said, turning away from him, sniffling and trying to hide your tears from his vision. Zuko's fingers gently wrapped around your hand, and it was the softest you've ever felt them. He held you back from walking away from him, and you looked at him, trying to cover up most of your face.

"Y/N, I may think badly of myself, but I'm also selfish, and I want you to stay with me. The thought of you hanging out with someone other than me just makes me upset." 

"I can't be with you if you won't return my feelings!" You shouted, tightening your jaw. Zuko pulled you into his embrace just as you tried to push him away, his lips locking with yours. He tugged your hips towards him, pressing against you as he kissed you sweetly, his hand running along your cheek as he finally pulled away. You felt more tears roll down your cheeks and his thumb wiped them away as he sat back, examining your expression.

"I do like you, Y/N!"

"You made it sound like you didn't..." You sobbed.

"Don't cry!" He said, panicked already. He wiped your face, taking a small handkerchief and drying your tears. "I'm sorry."

"You big idiot!" You said, snatching the handkerchief and turning away, wiping your messy face and trying to fix yourself before Zuko saw you again. He just smiled at you slightly when you turned back around, and you held his hands in yours, swinging your arms slowly. "We should get to bed, it's late."

"You're right. Don't forget to take off your makeup." Zuko said, smiling to you before walking into a separate room to change. You nodded, and smiled to yourself, before you sat down in front of a mirror and began wiping your remaining makeup off of your face.


	5. Flee

You groaned, feeling exhaustion wash over you like a tidal wave as you felt your arm lift up. Wait, was that you? Were you doing that? You opened your eyes slowly, blinking a couple times to clear your surroundings. You saw Zuko, awake and lying awfully close to you, holding up your arm that had the burn scar on it. He gently pressed his lips against the scar, kissing it, and causing your face to heat up.

"Zuko," you mumbled, still half-asleep. "what're you doing?"

"Waking you up." He replied, his voice low and raspy. He then trailed kisses up your arm, and you slowly woke up a little more each time his hot lips were placed against your cool skin. Eventually, he went up your shoulder, neck, and finally met your lips- to which you were fully awake for.

You pushed him off, flushed a dark color. He blinked slowly at you, giving you a semi-concerned expression.

"What's the matter?"

"I-I'm just... embarrassed."

"Of what?" He frowned as you climbed out of bed, getting up and straightening your clothes.

"You're so lovey, I-I don't know. I'm not really quite used to it, yet." You replied, fumbling with your hands. You heard him get out of bed and you knew he felt guilty for making you uncomfortable.

"Do you not want me to be?"

"That's not what I'm saying-"

"It's what you're suggesting." He said, his tongue sharper now.

"No." You insisted, turning and looking at him. "What I'm saying is that maybe we should ease more into this? I've never felt this way before, and I don't want to go too fast."

"Mmm," Zuko agreed quietly, smiling down at you. You returned the expression, pulling him into a quick hug. He blinked and just eased into the hug before you pulled away, your heart still racing. If you did anything more, you think you'd faint or something. Walking into a separate room, you got dressed, and so did he. The two of you were ready to take on another day in Ba Sing Se.

As you two made it out of your room, you felt Zuko's hand clasp around yours. You blinked downwards at it and finally he pulled your gaze up with his smiling eyes. You grinned to yourself, feeling overwhelmingly giddy, and you led the way around the city, just touring the sights. You pointed to tourists, civilians, buildings, structures, all of them. And Zuko just kept smiling, going along with you.

"We can stop here for a bit." You said, pulling him into a restaurant. You brought a bit of your money with you, so the two of you sat down with full expectancy to eat a big hearty meal. Something you had craved for so longingly on your trip.

Once the food was brought out, you gasped in awe. There was so much, for so little of your gold pieces! You downed it all so quickly, you weren't sure if Zuko had time to even process it.  
"Wow, you have... one big stomach." Zuko laughed.

"Well, yeah... I was poor, and all, you know." You flushed in embarrassment, looking away and quietly sipping your drink.

"It's alright, I'm not judging you." He assured, eating his food a bit quickly too. You looked at his face and tried to hold back your snickers, but he noticed rather easily. "What?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Uh, you got a bit of sauce on your cheek. Here, allow me." You said with an amused tone, leaning over the table with your napkin, and rubbing the sauce off of his cheek. He watched your hand and you felt so intimate, even though you were just cleaning up his mess for him.

That's when someone shouted in the restaurant.

"It's the two outcasts! The thief and Prince Zuko!"

Your head snapped towards the voice, and it was a burly man. A small group of guards looked up, suddenly alert, and you cursed under your breath.

"Go, go!" You hollered to Zuko, taking his hand and sprinting out of the restaurant. Of course, you wouldn't be able to enjoy any time with your Zuko. He didn't hesitate to move quickly, though. He was even faster than you, and you dragged him a bit behind. You heard clatter behind the two of you as you ran out of the shop, onto the busy street, and he made a sharp right, following the current of civilians. You pushed people out of the way, and you heard upset and disgruntled shouts from all around you as Zuko now led the way into a dark alley.

"Shit, shit, Zuko, there's a wall!" You said to him, and he nodded, already aware of the situation. He swooped you up with no hesitation, backing up in the alley, and then getting a running start at the wall. You squealed, wrapping your arms around his neck and burying your face in his shoulder, as he leapt. Fire emitted from the tips of his shoes and he just nearly made it over the wall, setting you down the split moment that he touched the ground. He took your hand again, running.

You sighed relief, glad to not be hurt, but also not be caught, but you spoke too soon. You saw earthbending guards sprint besides the two of you, slamming their heel on the cobblestone and knocking Zuko upwards, and out of your hand. You fell, rolling and smacking dead-center into a wall, pain erupting in your spine. You cried out, watching the guards surround Zuko and lift him up off the ground. He tried to firebend, but he couldn't budge in the arms of the guards. Things were getting bad. You lifted yourself up, wobbling side-to-side, swaying on your feet.

"Let go of him!" You screamed out, hiking up your dress skirt and drawing a dagger. You stumbled towards them, and Zuko shouted to you.

"Go, run!"

"No!" You defied, running at the earthbenders with the dagger. One flinched a muscle, and you were sent flying backwards with a rock that suddenly hit you from underneath your feet. You rolled, a crowd surrounding the area, screaming and hollering in fear.

"Leave the thief, the Prince is an enemy to our kingdom." One of the men said, and you stood up slowly again, walking towards the group holding Zuko hostage. You raised your dagger, but Zuko was clearly getting upset.

"Leave! Or they'll get you too!" Zuko screamed angrily, and he parted his lips, fire whirling in your direction to ward you off. You stumbled backwards in fear, flashing back to when you first got burned by him. You almost fell to your knees, but his upset expression just stabbed you in the chest so painfully, that you couldn't handle to see it anymore. You turned on your heel and sprinted in the other direction, your hair whipping behind yourself.

You couldn't believe it. You felt so betrayed. Why would Zuko do that to you?

You'd just have to rescue him. No matter what happened.


	6. Us

You slammed the door to your inn room, panting, and leaning over, dry heaving. You felt like you were going to vomit, yet you couldn't, nothing was going to come up eventually. So, you lumbered over to your bed and collapsed, feeling exhaustion wash over you and you quickly took your things, rummaging through them.

How could you leave, and let Zuko get captured by the Ba Sing Se guards? Where would he be taken? You quickly smudged your makeup off of your face with your nice sleeves, nearly ripping your dress off as you changed into something else, something dark-colored and lightweight on your body. It was slim pants, boots, a sleeveless turtleneck, gloves, and a fashionable sash tied tightly around your waist. This was your thief wear, something easy to manuever in. You took your dual daggers and hid them in their sheath on your hip, and waited for darkness to fall.

It took so long for the entire day to end, but when the sun began to sink in the sky, you set out at twilight, making your way in the dark alleys and twisting and turning. You knew little about Zuko's location, but you had a solemn feeling that he was taken to the King himself, and maybe even taken to the Dai Li. You began to fret for his safety, but you had to keep your guard up, edging around buildings. You listened in through windows, picking and choosing different conversations you heard.

You had exceptional senses, being so difficult to sneak up on. It comes from being a stealthy thief for your entire life. Your ear twitched as you heard different voices sound from within the buildings.

"And Lee said-"

"I doubt it'll be good for our shop-"

"Sales have been rocketing lately!-"

"I heard the Avatar was-"

"I just bought some new-"

All of it was pointless. You moved on, but you saw a shadow in the street catch your eye. It was a tall figure, wearing a hat that enveloped his head like a canopy, and you easily could tell it was a Dai Li member. He hurriedly walked through the street, and you knew this would be your only chance. You followed in the shadow of the shops, laying low, your feet hardly making any sounds against the cobblestone.

He met with another Dai Li, and you felt like it was an entire party now. There was no way you could take both on, so you shuffled in the darkness, closer towards the two, listening to their whispers.

"Did you take care of him?"

"Yes, but the girl remains unknown."

"He was travelling with her, it's best to find her hideout and wipe her out."

"Right." The original said, nodding and hurrying off in a different direction. You stared at the Dai Li that was now all alone, and you waited until the other one was gone for good, then you drew closer to him. He must've picked up on some tiny movement, since he flinched and looked around frantically. Now was your chance! You moved forward quickly, and you allowed him to bend his gloves towards you, so you could dodge them and swiftly push him into an alley, covering his mouth and holding your dagger to his throat.

"Hi, there." You greeted passive-aggressively. "Tell me, where did you take Prince Zuko?"

The man shook underneath your grip, and you pinned him against a wall, his hands now being pinned as you took your hand slowly away from his lips. He trembled, eyes wide.

"Make a move or scream and I won't hesitate to slit your throat open right here right now." You threatened, which terrified him even more. He swallowed heavily and nodded slowly.

"H-He's in the jail cells underneath the palace. The King is deciding what to do with him." He stammered, and you smiled icily, staring deeply into his eyes.

"Thanks." You replied, then knocking him upside the head. He fell unconscious and you hid him behind some boxes and tied his hands and feet, then covered his mouth. Making your way through the night, you felt yourself clumsily run through the streets as you felt your heart ache. Would you make it, to save Zuko? Or would the King immediately decide to just...

...get rid of him?

You wouldn't allow it to happen! You sped up despite what you legs screamed, and you felt your muscles shriek in pain as you forced yourself to keep pressing forward. You had to make your way to the palace, which was a lot more difficult and longer than you thought, but you finally made it.

Now, being a stealthy thief, it was pretty easy to get in and figure out how to get downstairs into a dungeon-looking place. You paced in the darkness, knowing that the night was going to end very shortly if you didn't find Zuko eventually. You knew better than to call out to him, so you casually walked through the hallways and listened intently, hearing nothing but silence. But, you heard something.

"-Urgh!"

It sounded male, so you quickly hopped back into the shadows of the hallways and shuffled towards the noise. You saw occasional light coming from a part of the hallway, but it filtered out, just like a- flame!

You hurried down the hall and approached Zuko in his cell, and he couldn't tell who you were at first, but he angrily firebended towards you. Fire burst in your face and you stumbled backwards, falling on the ground and letting out a loud grunt.

"Wait, Y/N?"

"Yeah, you dick. You almost made me catch on fire." You laughed.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"It's all good, I don't mind getting singed a little." You winked, standing up and dusting yourself off. You pulled out your lock pick, bending over and stuffing it into the lock. You focused on trying to open the cell door, and you had to hurry, or they'd be back soon. You heard voices down the hall, distant, but they were heading your way. You hurried too much that the lock pick kept slipping in your sweaty fingers.

"Zuko, I-I can't open it..." You whispered to him, looking up at him desperately.

His frantic eyes met yours and he quickly pulled you up through the bars of the cell, pressing his lips to yours. You wished you could be fully in his embrace, but when the voices grew closer, you pulled away and gave him a sad glance. But, you felt so hopeful. The kiss had given you hope, sort of. You guess. You turned back to the lock, gripping it tightly and twisting it until the lock popped open. You grinned, but the Dai Li must've saw you two. You heard voices in the dim light and you took Zuko's hand, grinning at him, and then suddenly pulling him away back to the entrance.

"We can take them on!" Zuko said.

"I'd rather run." You spoke breathily, and tugged him out into the palace. Dai Li guards were surrounding the two of you, but you had other plans. As they bended their gloves towards the two of you, you dodged all of them that you could, pushing back the two as Zuko spurt out fireballs at the ones in your way. You finally left the palace, into the streets, and it was a lot easier to lose them that way. You took turns and twists into alleyways, losing most of the Dai Li with your amazing stealth skills.

You stopped for a breather, looking at Zuko, who was equally as tired as you.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you." You apologized, feeling guilt sink in. He looked strangely at you.

"Sorry? I'm happy you didn't get captured too, otherwise we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Yeah, you're right." You agreed, convincing yourself with a giant smile. You pressed your back against the wall, falling silent, trying to make sure the Dai Li wouldn't find you two as you guys took a break from running all over Ba Sing Se. Zuko sighed deeply, sidling up next to you.

"What if they find us here?"

You thought about his question deeply. You knew that maybe, they would, but your place at the inn was probably the least safest place right now and it was too far away. You looked to Zuko with a completely serious expression and began to take off your clothes.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zuko stuttered, his eyes blown wide.

"If we make out, they'll leave us alone."

"Won't that just draw more attention to us?"

"No, they're on a mission! They're not gonna let a couple of teens making out in an alley distract them. Here, cover your scar." You said, tossing your sash at him. You made him take off his shirt (which was probably the best thing to watch _ever_ ), and he slowly sat down in the alley, blushing a fierce red. You stripped your top, ruffled your own hair, and the two of you looked completely different. He covered his left eye with your sash and you slowly sat down on his lap with a mischievous smile.

"You're just doing this to make out with me."

"Well, duh." You rolled your eyes, and his lips came in contact with your neck, already biting and licking it. You bit your lip and wrapped your arms around his neck. You heard footsteps from outside of the alleys, and you saw in the corner of your narrowed eyes Dai Li members taking one glance at the two of you, making a slightly disgusted face, and then moving on rather quickly.

But, you wouldn't tell Zuko, who was still working on your neck with shut eyes. You pulled him closer to your breasts, and he delicately touched your bra, being insanely timid.

"You're really good at this, but you're so shy." You said softly to him, and he released himself from your neck, frowning up at you.

"I don't usually do this. Besides..." he trailed away, his voice faltering as he looked away from your expectant gaze. "I really... like... you."

"Isn't that what they call, love?" You asked him, tilting your head and suddenly- his eyes met yours. Why did your heart just skip a beat, and why is it hurting? Zuko pushed the sash out of his face, along with his hair, exposing his full face.

"I guess it is." He said, and your chest suddenly tightened even more- you felt like you were suffocating. Your throat suddenly felt constricted, and your nose stung so badly, tears began to fall from the corners of your eyes. He noticed and blinked, pulling a hand up and wiping your cheeks. "What's the matter, Y/N?"

"I'm just really happy right now, that's all. The last time someone told me they loved me was so long ago. It was when my parents were being taken from me. And I- I had no idea... no idea how much I needed to hear that."

"I... didn't know." Zuko said lowly. "I've had my uncle with me all this time, it's so difficult to understand... but, I do love you."

"Ahaha," you laughed, crying harder. "I love you too."

"Please don't cry, you're making me think I did something wrong."

"No, not at all!" You laughed, wiping your face on your arm. "I just... want to thank you." You grinned, standing up off of him and holding out your hand to him. He took it firmly, pulling himself up and exchanging a loving glance at you.

The two of you quickly changed and quietly went back to the inn room to collect your items and leave the city. It took quite some time, but things were so peaceful now. And you couldn't be any happier, and you didn't want anything to change. The two of you travelled the world, forgot about your pasts, and developed a beautiful future together.


End file.
